Evaluation of osteoblastic activity by morphometric comparison of alkaline phosphatase cytochemistry vs. tetracycline fluorescence

Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity was used as a novel histomorphometric index of osteoblastic surfaces involved in mineralization. The enzyme cytochemical reaction was done on sections of low temperature processed, glycol methacrylate (GMA) embedded bone biopsies from 39 patients with various types of renal osteodystrophy (age 48 ± 12 yrs; 19 males, 20 females) who had received tetracycline labelling. Sets of three serial sections were obtained from each tissue block: the 1st section (2 μm thick) was stained with Methylene blue Azure 11 for morphology; the 2nd section (2 μm thick) was used for ALP cytochemistry; the 3rd section was left unstained for UV microscopy. ALP positive osteogenic cells on bone surfaces displayed either of two distinct morphologies: a) typical plump, ‘active’ osteoblasts, and b) flat, elongated cells otherwise indistinguishable from ‘bonelining cells’. These ALP + flat cells were in contact with sites of active osteoid and mineral deposition and also codistributed with tetracycline labels outside of, and in continuity with, osteoid seams. Flat lining cells which were ALP negative were never associated with labels. Therefore, ALP activity also provided an objective criterion for differentiating two different ‘phenotypes’ among flat bone lining cells (ALP + and ALP-), associated or not associated with matrix mineralization, respectively. The following histomorphometric variables were measured: Ob.S/BS, OS/BS, MS/BS and ALP.S/BS. Ob.S/BS, OS/BS and MS/BS were different in different types of ROD. However, OS/BS always exceeded MS/BS which, in turn, always exceeded Ob.S/BS. ALP.S/BS exceeded OS/BS in controls, mixed ROD and hyperparathyroidism, whereas the reverse occurred in osteomalacia and aplastic bone, due to the abundance of ALP lining cells over nonmineralizing surfaces. We interpret these data as evidence that in boneforming cells, expression of ALP per se, regardless of cell morphology and involvement in osteoid deposition, is associated with matrix mineralization.